The Mayor (Councillor Burgess)(ex-officio) (P), Chairman of Policy and Organisation Board (Councillor Hook)(ex-officio) (P), Councillors Allen (P), Carter (P), Mrs Cully (P), Davis (P), Foster (P), Gill (P), Philpott (P), Rigg (P), Mrs Salter (P) and Mrs Wright (P). |
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5. | DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST |
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There were no declarations of interest. |
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6. | MINUTES |
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RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Board meetings held on 9 March 2005 and 19 May 2005 be approved by the Chairman as true and correct records. |
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PART II |
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7. | ORLIT HOMES REDEVELOPMENT |
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The Board received a copy of the Housing Services Manager’s report (a copy of which is attached in the Minute Book as Appendix ‘A’), which updated Members on progress and the timetable for the redevelopment of the ‘Orlit’ homes, Lee-on-the-Solent and the rehousing of tenants in the existing ‘Orlit’ properties. |
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Members approved an additional recommendation that the Housing Services Manager, in consultation with the Housing Board Chairman and Group Spokespersons, be authorised to appoint a development partner. Concerns were raised about the possibility of the proposed partner being a private developer. Members were advised that, at this stage, it was important that all possible avenues were explored. It was agreed that, should the proposed partner be a private developer, the matter would be referred back to Housing Board for consideration. |
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Concerns were raised that officers would not have enough time to submit a further report on rehousing and redevelopment proposals by September 2005 as had been recommended in the Housing Services Manager’s report. It was agreed that a further report be submitted within six months. |
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RESOLVED: That: |
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a) | Housing Board authorise the Housing Services Manager to continue working on the detailed proposals, including financial and development discussions, for the redevelopment of the Orlit properties at Lee-on-the-Solent; |
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b) | Housing Board authorise the continuation of the rehousing and redevelopment proposals, noting the proposed timetable and the expectation that a further report on this matter will be presented within six months; |
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c) | Housing Board authorise the Housing Services Manager, in consultation with the Housing Board Chairman and Group Spokespersons, to appoint a development partner for the Orlit properties at Lee-on-the-Solent; and |
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d) | should the proposed development partner be a private developer, the matter be referred back to Housing Board. |
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8. | A REVIEW OF THE SUBLETS SCHEME |
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The Board received a copy of the Housing Services Manager’s report (a copy of which is attached in the Minute Book as Appendix ‘B’) requesting Members to increase the maximum number of Council properties let to an agency from thirty to fifty, in response to a growing demand for accommodation with support. |
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Members were advised that, since the scheme had last been considered in January 2004, two issues had arisen, which had triggered an internal review of the supply of sublet accommodation. The issues were: |
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- An increase in non-family homeless households being accepted for the full housing duty coupled with the Council being unable to secure move-on accommodation with support; and
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- The implementation of the Generic Supported Housing Panel for Gosport and Fareham
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Members were advised that the upward trend of non-family acceptances was not, in itself, considered to be an issue but the customers concerned were accepted due to their vulnerabilities, which presented the Council with significant challenges. |
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The Gosport and Fareham Generic Supported Housing Management Panel had gathered evidence which had been sufficient to conclude that: |
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- All Supported Housing was at capacity and effectively ‘silted’ up;
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- The voluntary agencies involved believed, and had produced evidence, that an increase in sublet numbers would help to resolve the ‘silting-up’ issue by enabling the move-on of residents who would not be able to make the jump from supported to totally unsupported accommodation. This had been accepted by officers although the need for the voluntary sector to adjust its services to improve move-on capacity was also viewed as a necessity
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Members were advised that the scheme had demonstrated its effectiveness for more that ten years as a way of accommodating very vulnerable customers as a “stepping stone” to independent living. Demand indicators had strongly suggested that the scheme needed to be maximised and the current demand information indicated that a maximum of 50 properties would be proportionate to need. |
Concerns were raised at the proposed increase in the number of properties to be let to an agency. The view was expressed that the Council had a responsibility towards applicants on the Housing Waiting List but was having to become increasingly involved with cases that agencies were unable to deal with. It was felt that more provision of suitable accommodation |
and support should be forthcoming from Hampshire County Council. Officers undertook to write to the County Council, raising concerns and requesting dialogue to find out how Gosport Borough Council and Hampshire County Council could work together in housing and supporting vulnerable customers. |
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RESOLVED: That Housing Board approve an increase in the maximum number of Council properties let to an agency from 30 to 50 in response to a growing demand for accommodation with support. |
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9. | CUSTOMER INVOLVEMENT PARTNERSHIP |
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The Board received a copy of the Housing Services Manager’s report (a copy of which is attached in the Minute Book as Appendix ‘C’) considering the extension of the current resident involvement framework to include other service activities including Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB), Environmental Improvements and Policy and Development. |
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Members expressed the view that, although they supported the principle of tenant participation and the setting up of an Environmental Improvements Panel, there was an Anti-Social Behaviour Sub-Committee attached to the Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and duplication of work may occur if the proposed Anti-Social Behaviour Panel were to be established. It was acknowledged that Housing Services encountered its own specific problems regarding anti-social behaviour but these could be considered within the overview and scrutiny process along with other, wider, anti-social behaviour problems. |
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Similar concerns were raised about Policy as this was a matter where scrutiny could be involved. |
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Members agreed that officers should consider this matter further, in particular how the overview and scrutiny process could be involved, and that a report be submitted to the Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee. |
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RESOLVED: That the Housing Board support, in principle, tenant participation, however officers are to carry out further work on this proposal to consider how overview and scrutiny may be involved, with a further report being submitted to the Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee. |
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10. | A REVIEW OF THE GOSPORT JOINT HOUSING ALLOCATIONS POLICY |
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The Board received a copy of the Housing Services Manager’s report (a copy of which is attached in the Minute Book as Appendix ‘D’) considering a number of amendments to relevant policies of the Gosport Joint Housing Register. |
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Members were advised that the June 2003 Housing Board had considered a wide reaching review of the Allocations Policy. Two further reports had been made: one in October 2003 had reported on the implementation of Policy through delegated powers and the January 2004 Housing Board had approved a specific amendment relating to priority for re-housing where a customer was under notice to leave their current accommodation |
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A number of proposed amendments were set out in the report for consideration and covered the following areas: |
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- The Management Rehousing Procedure
- The Appeals Panel
- Housing Register applications with no statutory housing need
- Schedule of decision making powers
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Members were advised that the recommendations in the report sought to provide clarity as to the decision making responsibilities held by different persons in relation to the Gosport Joint Housing Register. In addition, some items in the report put in place mechanisms, which would prepare the Council for the adoption of the Choice Based Lettings approach to lettings. |
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Members felt that, due to the fair way in which allocations were made via the points system and with Choice Based Lettings soon to be implemented, the inclusion of the words “in consultation with the Housing Board Chairman and Group Spokespersons” contained in the second recommendation of the report were not necessary and should be deleted. |
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RESOLVED: That the Board note this report and approve the following recommendations: |
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a) | that the Management Re-housing Policy be amended as follows: · The Management Re-housing Panel permits each housing association partner to have a representative on the Panel; and · The Chairman of the Management Re-housing Panel shall be a Senior Allocations and Advice Council officer; and, · The Chairman of the Management Re-housing Panel shall decide cases brought to the Panel. |
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b) | that the Housing Services Manager approve Gosport Joint Housing Register applications where a member of the applicant household is an officer, or related to an officer, of this Council or housing association partner or is, or related to, a Member of this Council or partner housing association Board. |
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c) | that the Housing Services Manager, in consultation with the Housing Board Chairman and Group spokespersons, decides cases where occupiers of Council properties let under the sublet scheme are recommended for continued occupation under the sublet scheme for periods substantially in excess of one year. |
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d) | that the Housing Services Manager, in consultation with the Housing Board Chairman and Group Spokespersons be authorised to progress a review of the assessment of Gosport Joint Housing Register applications where no statutory housing need applies. |
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11. | HOMELESSNESS AND LETTINGS PERFORMANCE |
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The Board received a copy of the Housing Services Manager’s report (a copy of which is |
attached in the Minute Book as Appendix ‘E’), which summarised performance for the second half of the financial year 2004/2005 and highlighted significant trends. This report followed one presented to Housing Board in November 2004 considering a homelessness and lettings performance report for the first half of 2003/2004. |
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Members were advised that the report covered the following areas: |
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· Analysis of homelessness enquiries; · Analysis of temporary accommodation; · Analysis of re-housing results; · Homelessness Supporting People team (new item for the Performance Report); · Financial implications |
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Concerns were raised regarding insurers’ refusal in some instances to offer insurance cover for landlords under the RAPS scheme. Officers undertook to look into this problem. |
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RESOLVED: That the contents of the Housing Services Manager’s report be noted. |
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12. | PERFORMANCE INFORMATION: OPERATIONAL SERVICES AND BEST VALUE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS |
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The Board received a copy of the Housing Services Manager’s report (a copy of which is attached in the Minute Book as Appendix ‘F’) providing Members of the Board with key housing management performance data for the financial year 2004/2005. The information provided was in relation to rent arrears, void performance, speed of response to repair requests, tenant satisfaction with repairs, repairs and void properties expenditure, contractor appointments and speed of response to Councillor enquiries and monitored letters. The full year report on Best Value Performance Indicators was also included. |
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The view was expressed that the speed of response to Member enquiries was not satisfactory and a request was made for this to be an agenda item at the next meeting of the Board. The Chairman agreed that this would be the subject of a report to the next Housing Board meeting. |
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It was reported that grass-mowing work carried out by the Community Warden had been very successful and a request was made to consider using the wardens for this work in future. Members were advised that a feasibility study was being carried out on this option. |
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RESOLVED: That the report of the Housing Services Manager be noted. |
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